Photo by Mark Kegans
Evan Kegans in Boundary Waters
Evan Kegans plays the part of a happy-go-lucky Gilligan, soaring down the boat’s slide while his parents try to navigate the S.S. Minnow without capsizing.
A couple, their 11-year-old son, and their Schnoodle pup set sail on a cabin adventure—floating on a scenic lake near the Boundary Waters. He said it felt like they were occupying an enchanted isle with all of life’s necessities at their fingertips. She said it felt like glamping, minus the glam. It was a perfect storm.
Mark Kegans: I didn’t go looking for a houseboat. I stumbled across the option while fishing for our summer’s typically dank, knotty-pined spot up north. It sounded like a real escape.
Kelly Ryan Kegans: More like an escape to Cape Fear, but I digress. Do you think the resort owners picked up on my reaction to the boat when we arrived? I mean, I wasn’t expecting to see the Queen Elizabeth 2. But that 35-foot vessel looked more like a tiny house made from a shipping container sitting on pontoons.
MK: I remember Evan’s expression—his mouth agape, ogling the waterslide sloping off the roof deck.
KRK: That’s when it hit me: A loon likely knows more about boating than either of us.
MK: I’ll admit, I was only slightly concerned after the resort owner gave us all of a five-minute overview of the boat, a map of the lake, then handed us the keys like he was renting us a bike.
KRK: Evan’s excitement helped lighten my mood when we got onboard. He was so eager to help put away the groceries and make the top bunk his cozy corner, with the pile of sheets and blankets we packed. He loved peering out at the lake from his private window up there.
Photo courtesy of Explore Minnesota/Timber Bay Lodge and Houseboats
Timber Bay Houseboat
MK: It was like a cabin on wheels—a deck with a grill, kitchen, beds, and a kayak. A boat on a boat!
KRK: And a bathroom half the size of a telephone booth. I decided to pretend we were camping.
MK: Once we made it out on the water, the view was pretty great. We had nearly the entire 20-mile-long lake to ourselves and the surrounding wilderness, too. And we lucked out on the weather: highs in the low 80s, which is like a heat wave up there.
KRK: Until the weather wasn’t great.
MK: The boat did pose some comical challenges, such as trying to navigate a landing spot each evening. The strong crosswinds didn’t help.
KRK: Uh, those were gale-force winds, as I recall. Remember the afternoon the perfect storm hit?
MK: The only true peril was a mutinous crew and the Schnoodle peeing on the blue AstroTurf on the deck.
KRK: There might have been some screaming inside the cabin. I was trying to get Evan to steer into the waves while I shoved falling dishes into the cabinets.
EVAN (then age 11): And that “Home Sweet Home” sign in the kitchen was swinging back and forth like a crazy grandfather clock.
MK: I just Googled “can pontoons capsize?” and there is a term called the “pontoon effect.” Something about lateral forces and a center of gravity.
KRK: You mean like when the boat seemed to go horizontal and I yelled for everyone to go to the other side of the boat? I kept thinking, what would George Clooney’s Captain Tyne do? Evan, were you scared?
EK: Yeah, you were freaking out.
MK: You trained him to be scared of storms.
KRK: [Insert eyeroll here.] We obviously survived, with just one casualty—that chunk of lumber that flew into the water. The resort owners put a premium on the gangway plank, and it cost us $35.
MK: It was worth every dime.
While you're there...
Floating
Choose your own adventure at Timber Bay Lodge from a fleet of smaller or larger houseboats. During the summer, the 35-foot boat costs $315 nightly—plus a little extra if you lose the plank. 8347 Timber Bay Rd., Babbitt, 800-846-6821, timberbay.com
Hanging
Time your visit right and you’ll see Ely’s July classic Blueberry Arts Festival at Whiteside Park. Artists, musicians, and food vendors entertain 40,000 visitors in a single weekend. July 27–29, ely.org
Eating
Don’t skip breakfast at Britton’s Café, off the main drag in downtown Ely. After a week in the wilderness, you’ll feel satiated by biscuits covered in ladles of thick gravy, plus pancakes as big as your plate. 5 E. Chapman St., Ely, 218-365-3195
Wildlife Watching
Wolves and bears, oh my! Ely is home to the North American Bear Center and the International Wolf Center. Both allow you to study and engage (safely!) with animals native to the area—including live wolves. bear.org, wolf.org
Shopping
A premiere outfitter since the 1890s, Piragis Northwoods Company doles out helpful advice to the most novice of explorers. Browse the full-service bookstore or stop here for that sweatshirt you forgot to pack.105 Central Ave. N., Ely, 218-365-6745, piragis.com
